Contests

As a companion program to Arizona High School Mock Trial, we invite any and all artistically talented high school students to submit a drawing of an actual courtroom scene from the Mock Trial Regional Tournament for judging in this state-wide competition. Artists from schools that are also competing in the Mock Trial Regional Tournament will document the trial in which their school's team is competing. Artists from schools not competing in the Mock Trial Regional Tournament will draw in a trial round as assigned by the tournament coordinator.

The drawings will be judged, and each artist will receive a certificate. Regional winners will be notified as soon as the judging is complete and will receive a plaque. A state winner will also be announced at the State Tournament and will receive an award during the closing ceremony. Any submitted illustrations may be used for local news releases and statewide publications.  

To register, each contestant must complete a court artist registration form and submit it prior to the date of the Regional Tournaments. Download the registration form and follow the instructions for submission.

TO QUALIFY, ALL CONTESTANTS MUST STRICTLY FOLLOW THESE RULES:

1. All court artists must observe all rules regarding ethical conduct for the Mock Trial Program.
2. Court artists will sketch for the rounds in which their school’s team(s) are competing, or as assigned by the tournament coordinator if not affiliated with a competing school.
3. Sketches must be created during rounds 1 and/or 2 of the regional tournament but need not be completed during the rounds. Artists may work on sketches during breaks in the competition.
4. Only the best two sketches per artist may be submitted for judging to the regional coordinator by the end of the championship round.
5. Sketches must be created and completed on paper that is 11 inches by 17 inches.
6. Sketches must be black-and-white, and any dry medium may be used.
7. Artists must supply all their materials.
8. While artistic license and interpretation is encouraged, sketches must depict actual courtroom scenes observed by the artist, and they must be created and completed solely by the artist submitting the sketches for judging without help from any outside sources.
9. Because these pictures may be reproduced, they need to have strong enough line value and shading to be seen clearly once scanned.
10. Artists must check-in with the regional coordinator before each round of the competition begins for courtroom assignments and seating instructions.

All entries become the property of the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education and may be used by the Foundation for whatever purpose is deemed appropriate. A team of judges from around Arizona will judge sketches based on accuracy of proportion, realism, figure/ground relationship and use of contrast, etc. Regional winners will be notified as soon as results are returned from the judges. Regional winners will receive a plaque. An overall state winner will be announced and will be invited to attend the state tournament where they will receive an award during the closing ceremony.